Description

It doesn't have a new-fangled wheel size, or a bevy of acronyms, so we'd forgive you if you thought the Santa Cruz Blur TR Carbon R complete mountain bike was outdated. But if you're thinking that, you'd be dead wrong. Starting with SC's insanely fun Blur TR platform, and rounding it out with FOX Racing Shox suspension and a Shimano drivetrain, this is a bike that won't back down, from hairy descents to all day adventure rides. The TR is the evolution of the Blur 4x, which was arguably the first slalom bike that could be pedaled for hours at a time. The formula has been distilled into a berm-shredding, gap jump boosting, pedaling maniac that begs you to push your skills as far as they'll go.

Santa Cruz introduced its first full suspension bike nearly two decades ago, so you could say that the boys from Nor Cal have some experience with aluminum. Naturally, said experience is plainly visible on the hydroformed aluminum Blur TR frame. The mixed tapered headtube is compatible with the latest generation of tapered forks, and provides a solid junction for the oversized, hydroformed down tube and top tube. The gentle bow of the top tube and down tube dissipates impacts to greatly improve the strength of the frame. The burly oversized tubing in the rear triangle makes for a flex free ride. That stiffness is only aided by the 142x12mm rear thru axle.

At the heart of the TR handling is a highly refined VPP suspension. It's a suspension platform that's widely beloved for its blend of pedaling efficiency and trail-erasing smoothness. VPP employs two aluminum counter-rotating links to achieve this balance. If you're wondering how it works, the upper link provides most of the rotation as the bike compresses into the sag point. This yields a vertical wheel path, which you'll notice in the form of a firm feel during acceleration. As the bike compresses deeper into the suspension, the lower link activates, moving the axle path rearward. The rearward axle path enables the rear wheel to travel out of the way of impacts, so the ride is smooth, not jarring. And you'll find the same collet-style pivot hardware that has become standard for Santa Cruz's suspension bikes. That means that your pivots stay tight and are simple to service, even for home mechanics.

The final part of the TR puzzle is the geometry. The 68 degree head angle blends high speed stability with a playful feel. The seat angle is 72.5 degrees, for an aggressive climbing position that enables efficient power transfer. The 16.9 inch chainstays are fairly short, for razor sharp turning, without sacrificing stability. Rounded out with a roomy cockpit and low 13.1 inch bottom bracket height, the 26-inch-wheeled TR slices up turns and is an inspired jumper. Think of it as a world-class slalom bike that lives for all-day trail rides.

While the R AM build is the value-oriented package in the lineup, Santa Cruz made sure to spec it with components that are up to the task in every regard. FOX handles the suspension duties, with a FLOAT CTD Evolution series rear shock, and a 32 FIT CTD Evolution series fork. Both feature FOX's CTD adjustment scheme, which makes dialing in your suspension settings a breeze. The fork employs FOX's FIT sealed damper, for consistent damper performance, even on the longest descents. And while both units forgo the gold-colored Kashima coating, in our experience, the difference in suspension feel is somewhere between negligible and non-existent. The drivetrain is a Shimano affair, blending Deore level cranks and front derailleur with SLX shifters and Shadow Plus rear derailleur. The resulting drivetrain has a proven track record for durability, and the Shadow Plus clutch technology replaces the chain slap of yesteryear with blissful silence, even on rocky terrain. The brakes are Shimano's excellent Deore model, which are renowned for their reliability and fantastic stopping power. The cockpit is comprised of Raceface Ride components, and the seating is taken care of by a WTB Volt. Rounding out the package is a set of tubeless-compatible WTB i23 rims laced with DT spokes to SRAM hubs. And they're wrapped in Maxxis High Roller II tubeless compatible tires, which roll fast and provide tons of grip even on the hairiest terrain you'll encounter.

The Santa Cruz Blur TR R Complete Mountain Bike is available in four sizes from Small to X-Large and in the colors Black/gold and Red/blue.